TFF2003 ¨C Gender Perspectives on Religion and Theology

Course content

The course addresses historical and contemporary topics related to religion, spirituality, gender equality, politics and society and analyzes them from a critical gender perspective. Historical notions of gender still have power and are experienced as obstacles to gender equality within religious communities and in society as a whole. In this seminar we will examine current gender models by studying historical texts from the Christian and Muslim traditions, scholarly feminist engagement with both traditions, and with case studies from the present day.

The course provides a general introduction to gender theory and shows how a critical gender perspective can produce new interpretations of images of God, views of humanity, sexualities, cosmologies, social structures and/or ritual practices. The interaction between interpreted tradition, critical theory and new interpretation is central. Feminist theology attempts to change both how we think about gender and do theology. In the course we examine important strategies, arguments and disagreements in this work. The course is interdisciplinary and suitable for students from the humanities, theology and social sciences.

Learning outcome

Theology and the Study of Religion are distinct but closely connected academic fields. The Study of Religion is concerned with describing, analyzing, and interpreting beliefs, ideals and/or practices. Theology, on the other hand, not only studies a a tradition, but often seeks to reform it, improve it using the values, tools, and texts of that tradition. In other words, theology is thinking about questions raised by religion or directed at religion. Students learn to distinguish between these two professional traditions, and develop critical knowledge about a central topic at the intersection between them. They acquire analytical skills to be able to highlight, discuss and debate gender and power on their own and as part of a bigger socio-religious system. Students gain practice in comparing different historical and social contexts on the basis of gender research questions, not just those of religions.

Knowledge:

• Insight into gender theory through applying theory to various religious and theological issues, including notions of humanity created in the image of God. Knowledge of how historical notions of gender set conditions for contemporary perspectives, and how different directions within feminist theology respond.

Skills:

• You will develop analytical skills to read religious, theological and political texts critically from a gender perspective and to understand attitudes towards gender and human dignity more generally from a critical gender perspective.
• You will gain both academic writing experience and debate experience and learn to see both connections and ruptures between understandings of gender and power in a historical period and in the present.

Attitudes:

• The subject contributes to reflection on the importance of religion and theology for contemporary debates on gender, politics, equality and democracy.
• You will develop critical attitudes towards the (re)presentation of gender and human dignity in religious texts and practice and gain practice in discovering power perspectives that may be associated with this.

Admission to the course

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for?in Studentweb.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about?admission requirements and procedures.

Recommended previous knowledge

Completion of the first year of your study program.

Overlapping courses

• 10 credits overlap with TFF3002 ¨C Kj?nnsperspektiv p? religion og teologi (discontinued).
• 10 credits overlap with TFF3003 ¨C Bacheloroppgave: Kj?nnsperspektiv p? religion og teologi (discontinued).
• 10 credits overlap with TEOL2101 ¨C Kj?nn og teologi (discontinued).
• 10 credits overlap with TEOL2102 ¨C Integreringsemne i kj?nn og teologi (discontinued).
• 10 credits overlap with RESA3202 ¨C Bacheloroppgave: Kj?nnsperspektiv p? religion (discontinued).
• 10 credits overlap with RESA3102 ¨C Kj?nnsperspektiv p? religion (discontinued).

Teaching

The course is designed as a combination of lectures and seminars throughout the semester. All of the teaching in this course is in English.

Mandatory activities:

• Reading and Discussion journal entries (5 a 200 words each - note: students must be present in the seminar for the journal entries they are submitting)
• Reflection on a course reading (750 - 1000 words)?

Examination

Portfolio

• Three entries from the reading and discussion journal + reflection (600 words, plus 500 - 750 for reflection)
• Analysis and Discussion Paper on a case study (1500 - 2000 words)

Language of examination

The examination questions are given in English, and you submit your response in English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F?is a fail. Read more about?the grading system.

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• How to use AI as a student
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.